The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word DRUMMERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
D
R
U
M
M
E
R
S
More clues leading to the result DRUMMERS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Players having their day, though not in first eleven" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case players having their day, though not in first eleven = drummers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DRUMMERS mean?
DRUMMERS noun- One who plays the drums.
- Travelling salesman
- A drumstick (the lower part of a chicken or turkey leg).
- Any of various fish of the family Kyphosidae which make a drumming sound.